STAMFORD — IT consulting and research company Gartner announced Thursday the completion of the acquisition of Virginia-based technology and insights firm CEB.

Gartner paid about $2.6 billion in cash and stock for CEB, in a deal that was first announced in January. The acquisition’s value totals about $3.3 billion, with Gartner also taking on about $700 million in CEB debt.

“We are excited to complete this transaction, which creates the leading global research and advisory company for all major functions in the enterprise,” Gartner CEO Gene Hall said in a statement. “This highly complementary acquisition will further advance our strategy to drive long-term growth.”

Gartner officials have said they expect to achieve annual savings, starting in 2018, of about $25 million to $50 million. In the long term, Gartner aims to produce double-digit growth in revenue, earnings and free cash flow while maintaining a strong balance sheet and liquidity.

Gartner plans to expand the Arlington, Va.-based CEB’s consulting services for executives in large enterprises to the market for medium-sized firms, where Gartner has a larger presence. In addition, Gartner wants to develop a line of new research and advisory products that its executives said would take advantage of CEB’s strengths in human resources, sales, finance and legal services.

“The combined company will have unmatched insight into technology, talent and the other drivers of corporate performance,” Tom Monahan, CEB’s chairman and CEO, said in a statement in January. “It will also have deep reach into a massive, immediately addressable market with clear need for our support across a range of functional areas.”

Gartner and CEB officials have said their firms would together employ more than 13,000 employees in more than 100 countries.

Combining Gartner and CEB’s reported results for the 12 months that ended Sept. 30 would have totaled approximately $3.3 billion in revenue and $693 million in earnings.